Kiran Tare

Mumbai: For probably the first time since Narayan Rane was inducted in the state cabinet about three years ago, three senior colleagues openly taunted the revenue minister.

Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, his deputy RR Patil, and public works minister Chhagan Bhujbal made light of Rane’s increasingly desperate attempt to replace Deshmukh as head of the state government.

Deshmukh commented not once but twice on Rane’s dissidence. At the foundation-laying ceremony of an irrigation project at Kalwan in Nashik district on Wednesday, he said, “I have come for the bhoomi pujan and I am sure I will come for the inauguration, too.” Patil and Bhujbal were present on the occasion.

Later in the evening, Deshmukh was the chief guest at the inaugural Navshakti Sanman presentation function at the Dinanath Mangeshkar Hall, Vile Parle.

The chief minister said, “For the past year there has been much debate on whether I will stay. But all auspicious dates for leadership change have passed. I am going to stay. I am not going anywhere.”

Taking the cue from Deshmukh, Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who has been touted as his most probable successor, said, “We are both staying where we are and we are both happy where we are.”

Without naming Rane, Shinde also remarked that even after getting power politicians, instead of using that power for the people’s benefit, just want to climb higher. Back in Nashik, Patil said, “Rane is trying to become the chief minister.

But he has not succeeded till date and I don’t think he will succeed in future. His muhurats have failed. He must change the astrologer who finds the muhurats for him.”

Bhujbal borrowed a dialogue from the Sunny Deol-starrer Damini to describe Rane’s situation.

“Talk of leadership change is going on all over the country,” he said.

“But there is no change. Rane has only got tareekh pe tareekh. He was trying for the CM’s post when he was in opposition. He is still trying, now that he is in the ruling Congress.”

Rane, currently in his hometown Kankavli for the silver jubilee celebrations of Sindhudurg district, preferred not to react to the comments.

“A cultural event is not the right platform to answer political questions,” he said. “I will speak after returning to Mumbai.”

Rane is scheduled to go to New Delhi on May 4 where he is expected to submit his resignation from the state cabinet to the party leadership.

Source : DNA